From a cellular packet network perspective, significant efforts have been invested to solve issues primarily related to coverage extension and capacity expansion. To serve the purpose of coverage extension, advanced wireless networks have been equipped with L3 relays (where data forwarding involves layer 3) with intelligence and processing complexity equivalent to base stations. These entities support legacy user devices and appear as base stations.
In order to resolve issues related to capacity expansion, the use of femto/pico/micro cells has also been proposed that essentially interfaces with the core network through dedicated backhaul like wired (DSL or optical), wireless (microwave link) while maintaining the same wireless access interface with the UE as a BS.
However, the proposed femto/pico/micro cells have a back-end system to co-ordinate between the femto/pico/micro cells and the communication network, which may be a wired communication network. Though this proposition is attractive in the context of rich wired infrastructure that exists in more developed countries, it may neither be feasible nor cost-effective to deploy these entities in their conventional form in less developed countries like India. This is because the existing density of wired connection is as low as 10 per 1000 person and last mile problems are still persistent.